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In 1988 Sports Impressions issued a very popular series of limited-edition collector plates ("The Sports Superstar Collector Plate Series") that featured images of beautiful portrait paintings of a number of Hall of Fame baseball players. The premier artist chosen by Sports Impressions to produce the images for many of those plates was Ron Lewis, who is best known by collectors today for his famous 500 Home Run Club and 3,000 Hit Club artworks. Offered here is the original Ron Lewis painting used by Sports Impressions to produce the Greatest Centerfielders plate in its collector series. The oil-on-canvas artwork captures Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Duke Snider posing together on the field. Signed and dated by the artist in the lower right ("Ron Lewis 88"). It should be noted, that in addition to being marketed on a plate, this artwork was also sold as a lithographic print. Making it all the more noteworthy is the fact that the original painting is slightly larger in scope than the image seen on the plate. This painting originates directly from the personal collection of a former Ron Lewis business partner, who has consigned it directly to this auction. It has never before been offered for sale, either publicly or privately. Ron Lewis is one of the premier sports artists of our time. In addition to his baseball pieces, Lewis has also created many other iconic works relating to the sports of football, basketball, and boxing. Original Ron Lewis paintings are highly prized by collectors in both the fields of sports and art, but this is only the fifth Ron Lewis original artwork we have ever seen from any of his Sports Impressions projects. (Two other examples are also featured in this auction.) The painting (30 x 35 inches) remains in Near Mint condition. Framed to total dimensions of 34.5 x 39.75 inches. The substantial size/weight of this item requires that there will be a shipping charge for this lot (which will vary depending upon where it is being shipped). The shipping charge will be billed separately from the auction invoice. Reserve $1,000. Estimate (open).